Shattered Ice
by LittleAmberAmethyst
Summary: Bill possesses Wendy to trick Dipper into handing over the rift. Dipper is forced to make a difficult decision. Request from Barbacar.
1. Prologue

**This story is a request from Barbacar. I hope you like it.**

 **As a warning the later chapters will include serious violence and character death.**

 **The title may change.**

* * *

Prologue:

After a long day of fighting unicorns to gather a patch of hair the only female in the Corduroy family snuggled beneath a thick quilt and laid her head on the pillow. She winced as the swollen eye touched the pillow and quickly she rolled onto her other side. Red hairs sprawled in every direction as the events of the day took its toll on her fatigued body.

Slowly she closed her eyes where she knew she'd dream of beating down another hoard of snooty brightly colored horses.

Mabel mentioned to them on their way to through the forest that the hair was required to place a barrier around the shack so Bill Cipher couldn't gain access inside. It was the third time she had heard that name in passing. Both times before when the twins mentioned his name it was in accord with something negative.

The first time Soos mentioned they followed the dream demon into Stan's mind, a place Wendy verbalized never wanting to visit. Dipper refused to delve into detail of the second encounter, although Wendy had a hunch that this Bill she had yet to meet was the cause of her friend's swollen wrist, stabbed arms, and severely bruised body. Stan was lucky no authority questioned him on the boy's condition.

At the very least the teenager counted her blessings of never having to run into the infamous Bill.

Within minutes the fatigue lulled her into sleep.

 _Almost immediately she woke in a world of grayscale. She jumped to her feet to see her cabin before her, although the numbers were written in some strange code. She glanced over her shoulder to see the trees all looking back with wide yellow eyes with slit pupils in the center._

 _Laughter echoed all around. Wendy spun to hear the laughs multiply as if being produced by several creatures at once. The volume increased. Wendy clamped her hands over her ears to discover the laughter originated from within her head._

 _The girl let out a scream and at once all noise ceased._

 _Shuddering Wendy removed her hands from her ears, half expecting the laughter to start up again. She looked from one direction to the other to see all the watching eyes had vanished. Just as she took a deep breath a blinding gold light appeared before her._

 _She shielded her eyes until the brightness toned down. There before her stood a glowing yellow triangle about a third of her size. He wore a black top hat and matching bowtie. In his hand he held a yellow cane. The teenager stared, but subconsciously shook at the sight of a single eye in the center top of the triangle._

 _Wendy calmed her breath and gathered her bearings. Without shaking she asked, "Who are you?" Although from Mabel and Soos' vague description she believed she already knew._

 _"The name's Bill Cipher, Red, but we already met once before," Bill said with a tilt of his hat. "Of course then I maneuvered your meatsack friend like a marionette." Bill grasped at his middle and laughed with his eye shut. Bill wiped an invisible tear from his eye. "Those were the good ol' days."_

 _"Get lost," Wendy snapped._

 _Bill put a hand over his heart and said in mocking sadness, "Oh, how rude."_

 _"I mean it, before I slice you in half," the teenager threatened._

 _Bill laughed. "Oh, I'd love to see you try," he taunted then stretched out his arms. A hatchet appeared before Wendy. "Go ahead and do your worst, Ice Girl."_

 _Wendy snatched the hatchet and swung it right through Bill's body. Black liquid seeped from the cut. Wendy watched with mouth agape as the pink tissue wound back into place. Eventually the bricks repaired with only a thin red line that outlined where the hatchet had sliced remained. A few seconds later and even the scar vanished._

 _"You can't get rid of me that easy, toots," Bill jeered._

 _Wendy glowered at the dream demon. "What do you want anyway?" she spat._

 _"Yes, enough idle chatter," said Bill. He straightened out his bowtie, adjusted his hat then rested on his cane. "I came here because I could use your help."_

 _Wendy scoffed. "Like I'd do anything to help you."_

 _"Poor, poor, Red," Bill said with his hands out and shut his eye in mock sympathy. "Perhaps you don't realize what I can do." Bill's eye went white. "I can grant you anything. Anything your heart desires."_

 _Wendy watched as tempting dreams passed through Bill's eye. Visions that plenty her age would jump out without restraint if only they didn't know what horrible things that triangle was capable of._

 _In a split second the smiling face of a red-haired woman flashed. Wendy gasped and took a double take to see the vision had passed. With a cackle Bill let the image return and kept it for a full five seconds. Wendy held her hand over her heart with her right hand and reached with her left one._

 _Just as her fingers neared the woman's face Bill's eye returned to normal. Wendy recoiled her hand the same time Bill extended his._

 _"I can let you meet with her," Bill said. His outstretched hand in front of Wendy's face he said, "Do we have a deal?"_

 _Wendy's fingers twitched. She shut her eyes and felt her arm lifting as though out of control. She quickly recalled what became of Dipper and lowered her arm by her side._

 _"No," Wendy replied. She shook her head then stared Bill directly in his eye. In a firm voice she ordered, "Now get out."_

 _Bill sighed and lowered his arm. "What a shame," he said and turned away._

 _Wendy watched as Bill vanished from her Mindscape._

 _Unknown to the Corduroy girl Bill glanced over at her with a glimmer in his eye. The bait had been laid and the trap set. It was only a matter of time before she bit._


	2. Evelyn Corduroy

**Here is the actual first chapter of the story. I'm glad some of you found the prologue to be interesting.**

 **I couldn't find any information on Wendy's brother's names, so for this story they are as follows: oldest-David, middle-Jacob, youngest-Wesley.**

 **The credit for this story goes to Barbacar.**

 **Thank you to Fantasy Female Freak and Berrybanana05 for your reviews on chapter one.**

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The next day Wendy woke in alarm. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes wondering if all that occurred in her dream was in fact a dream, or if she had truly met the infamous Bill Cipher.

She slumped forward when she remembered that Bill had known too much about her, including her mother.

The girl laid back on her pillow as she recalled the anniversary of her mother's death being only a few days away. She was only eleven when it happened, but she could still see the images of her mother trying to smile as she spoke to her only daughter from the hospital bed.

She remembered the soft patches of strawberry blonde that poked out from the bandages wrapped around her head. She cuddled her infant son close to her breast and sang softly to the cooing baby who rubbed his face against her chest, trying to fight off sleep.

After Wesley had fallen asleep, Manly Dan clutched his fading wife's hand. She smiled at him and spoke so softly that Wendy (who held the sleeping Wesley) and her other two brothers strained their ears to hear. Manly Dan pretended to scratch at his face as he wiped tears from his cheek.

Evelyn Corduroy died the next morning. Wendy was too shocked to cry, although her brothers wailed. Manly Dan tried to be strong for his family, but to say his wife's passing took a toll on him was an understatement.

Green eyes glanced over at the clock and Wendy jolted out of bed. It was already half past eight and she was expected at work in the next thirty minutes. The teenager rushed to the bathroom to begin her morning routine, knowing she wouldn't have time to shower. She brushed her teeth while on the toilet and tried to tame her hair while pulling on her shoes.

She rushed out the door pulling on her hat with only fifteen minutes to ride to the Mystery Shack on the other side of town. She hopped on her bicycle already dreading Stan's mouth that would grill her the instant she arrived.

Even the most dedicated triathlon competitor didn't have anything on Wendy's speed to the shack. As soon as she arrived the adjusted the kickstand, but the bike fell in the grass regardless. Not having the time to pick it up she pushed open the front door to see it empty of the other employees.

"Mr. Pines!" Wendy called as her heavy boots stomped inside. The door slammed shut behind her. She figured they might be setting up new displays in the parlor or exhibit room and moved on to the back. "Dipper! Mabel! Soos!"

Wendy checked both rooms to find them vacant. With hands on her hips she wondered if this was her boss' idea of a joke and expected the entire crew to jump out at any minute like Justin Kerprank.

The sound of boots on wooden floors echoed from the gift shop. Wendy briskly walked out to see who she first believed to be Stan heading into the kitchen. On closer inspection she recognized the man to be his twin brother who according to Soos walked out of an inter-dimensional portal. Of course considering some of the things she had witnessed over the duration of the summer, it wasn't the weirdest that happened.

Ford felt another presence and ripped the raygun from his holster. The carton of orange juice plummeted, splashing citrus liquid on the wood floor. Wendy cried out with her hands in the air as the barrel of the weapon pointed at her. Ford realized his mistake moments before firing, and coughed into his hand muttering an apology then slid the gun back in its leather holding.

"Hey, Stan Two," Wendy said once she regained her ability to speak. She leaned against the kitchen wall. "Where is everyone?"

Ford placed the fallen the carton on the counter and sighed. "My brother took them on a trip across the state."

Wendy groaned, "Are you kidding?"

"No," Ford answered, just as annoyed. "It was a terrible idea."

She curled her fingers. "I almost killed myself to get here over nothing," she complained.

"Indeed," Ford said. He poured the juice into a glass. "And after all that trouble we went through to Bill-proof the house."

Wendy froze at the mention of the dream demon's name.

"Hey-uh-Mr. Pines," said Wendy. She waited until he swallowed to ask, "About this Bill."

Ford put the now empty cup on the counter. "What about him?" he asked, his tone grave.

"How, uh, how do you contact him?" she asked.

Ford pursed his lips. "Don't," he replied. With that he pushed by the teenager to return to the basement laboratory.

"Okay, how does he contact you?" she asked.

The words stopped Ford in his tracks. He turned and looked the girl directly in the eyes. Wendy shuddered. The room felt like the temperature drastically dropped.

"Why do you ask?" Ford inquired.

"I-uh-heard Dipper talk about him," Wendy half lied.

Ford let out a sigh of relief. "The only way he can talk to you is if you directly summon him, which I trust you're not foolish enough to try." Ford glared at the teenager in hopes of ridding her of any potentially mischievous schemes. "Or he can come to you when you're asleep."

"And say he did come to you in a dream," Wendy said. "What-what reason would he have?"

Ford shook his head. "Of all the creatures I ever met, Bill is the most mysterious. His reasons are unclear, which makes him the most dangerous." He pointed to his temple. "If ever you have the misfortune of meeting him, never let him into your head."

"Why-why would I?" Wendy questioned.

Again Ford sighed. "Bill is clever. He knows what you most desire more than you yourself." Ford folded his hands behind his back. "He'll use desperation to manipulate you. He's tricked the smartest and kindest people." His eyes locked with Wendy's. "I hope you never meet him."

Wendy nodded. She wanted to ask him more, but Ford left the room. She heard the secret door behind the vending machine open and close. Slowly the teenager walked back to the door. It shut behind her and she grabbed her fallen bicycle. She rode at a more leisurely pace back to her cabin.

The noise hit her the instant she opened the door. Her two youngest brothers ran about the house yelling while her dad shouted something from the kitchen. Wendy slumped, already wishing the Pines would return from their impromptu vacation if just to give her a legitimate reason to leave her house.

Wendy stepped into the kitchen to see her dad finishing off breakfast. He was dressed in his work clothes and would be expected to arrive at the logging camp within the next half hour. His eyes narrowed upon seeing the fifteen-year-old before him.

"Don't you have work today?" Manly Dan asked.

"It's closed," Wendy replied.

Manly Dan lifted an eyebrow, not all convinced. So far Stan Pines had closed the Mystery Shack multiple times during the summer. He was half tempted to call the place up and check it out himself, but the clock on the microwave reminded him he didn't have time to waste.

"Maybe you can get started on the chores, those dishes won't wash themselves," the lumberjack said pointing to the stack of dinner and breakfast dishes in the sink.

"Later, I'm gonna hit the arcade with the guys," Wendy responded.

She opened up the refrigerator door only for her dad to close it.

"Wendy, I don't go to work all day to support a lazy teenager who can't pull her own weight," Manly Dan scolded. "I let your chores slide since you're workin', but since your off, you need to help out."

"Dad, I get one day off, why can't one of them do the dishes for once?" Wendy cried, holding her hands out in the direction of the small living room where her brothers played. All three boys stopped horsing around to eavesdrop on yet another argument.

"They're kids!" Manly Dan yelled.

"And what am I?" Wendy asked, pointing to herself.

"You're almost a grown woman and it's time you started actin' like it!" Manly Dan shouted.

"I'm a teenager!" Wendy snapped.

"And all you do is hang out with those hooligans," the large man retorted. "You already got a misdemeanor and fired from six jobs."

Wendy heard her youngest two brothers snickering. She sent them a glare then looked back up at her father who moved closer.

"And those two you hang with-that Lee and Nate-got busted with beer," Dan yelled. "Don't you dare lie and say you haven't drank with 'em."

"You have no right to talk about other people drinking!" Wendy spat.

David and Jacob simultaneously gasped. Wesley looked up at the oldest two then back at the show in the kitchen.

The lumberjack had to clench his fists to keep from striking the teenager. At those times he really wished Evelyn was still around.

"I shoulda went with my gut instinct and sent you to that loggin' camp," Manly Dan growled.

Wendy crossed her arms. "Then who would you have to cook and clean for you every night? You know, after you come back from the bar!"

Manly Dan yelled and punched out a window. Bloody shards of glass rained on the floor causing the oldest boy to gasp, the middle one to cheer, and the youngest to laugh. Wendy stood speechless at the lines of blood streaming down her father's hand.

The head of the Corduroy house looked over at the framed photograph of his family that hung by the now broken window. The picture was taken two months prior to his wife's death. Wesley couldn't even hold his head up on his own. The late Evelyn smiled with Wendy standing next to her and the two older boys seated in front of the chair. Dan himself stood next to the rocking chair grinning just as proud as any father.

"I work hard to support four kids on my own," Manly Dan lamented. "A little help around here is all I ask."

"Dad," Wendy started.

"Clean this up, Wendy," Manly Dan snarled. "I don't want the boys hurt." He ripped off a piece of his own shirt with his teeth and used it to bandage the cuts on his hand. "And so help me if those dishes ain't washed when I get back."

He stormed out the door and slammed it hard enough to make each of the Corduroy kids jump. Wendy half expected the door to fall off its hinges. Instead she watched her disenchanted father stomp to his truck.

After Evelyn passed, Dan had tried so hard to keep it together for the family. The first few weeks were successful. As time wore on mourning turned into despair. For five months straight Wendy watched him drink nightly and take out his anger on anyone or anything who provoked him. The rest of the town soon learned of his family's tragedy and collectively decided not to point out the lumberjack's odd behavior. His best friend Tyler Cutebiker went a step beyond to encourage his antics.

It was out of pity and all the years of loyalty that Manly Dan's boss let him get by with only occasional verbal reprimands for showing up on the job hungover and even sometimes drunk. It was only when he nearly killed one of his workmates that gave him the motivation to sober up. Even now he often relapsed, but he managed to keep his alcohol intake to two drinks a night. He refused to seek counseling for his anger, and most people in the town were already used to his behavior to even suggest he try and change.

Wendy grabbed a broom and ordered her brothers outside. At first they tried to protest, but the teenager threatened to chase them out with the broom which prompted them to follow her request. With a sigh she swept up the shards of glass. It wasn't a daunting task, but when the night chill seeped through the fist-sized hole everyone inside would feel the consequences of their argument.

Wendy also looked over at the smiling face of her mother. She regretted the words she said to her father. Her fingers touched the cold glass that forever shielded the memory of the woman who had been the core of their family. Tears lined her bottom lids. Wendy wiped them away with the sleeve of her flannel shirt before any of her brothers had the chance to witness.

"I wish you hadn't left us," Wendy whispered to the face forever molded into a smile.

* * *

Later that night Wendy made sure all her brothers had been fed, brushed their teeth, and went to bed. Afterwards she climbed into her own bed. Tomorrow would be another day off, and even closer to the anniversary to her mother's death.

Wendy cuddled her face against the pillow. The memory of how she used to hug Evelyn in moments of distress surfaced. Her father always taught her to be independent, but sometimes she needed the reassurance of warm arms to hold her. It pained her that Jacob and Wesley would be denied the majority of their lives of that simple comfort.

Just as she neared sleep Wendy heard the door to her bedroom open halfway. She squinted at the bit of line that shone through and heard her father's heavy breathing. Wendy laid still, much too tired to talk at the moment.

"Wendy," he whispered, believing her to be asleep. "I'm sorry, Wendy. You're not a bad daughter."

Wendy slightly jerked at the confession. She was sure her father saw the movement, but if he had, he didn't acknowledge it.

"I miss her," Manly Dan said. She felt the agony in his voice. "Some days are hard."

Wendy held her breath. She swallowed a lump of spit that had formed in her throat.

The door closed and Wendy opened her eyes. She laid still for a few minutes more then turned over onto her back. Fresh tears slipped down her face. She cursed herself for crying. Even more she cursed fate for taking a good woman away from her family. Her father suffered the most. She and David at least had memories, while the younger two had little. Now she wondered which was worse.

Wendy turned onto her other side facing the door. In the morning her dad wouldn't speak again on the matter, and she would have to pretend she never heard him. They would have to carry on shielding the hurt in their hearts as they had for four years.

Green eyes shut and a last round of tears fell. If only she had the option of talking to her mom one last time.

As the teenager drifted into slumber, a watching eye glistened. From the Mindscape he waited until they would be on equal planes. He knew how her soul ached. Not much longer and she would take the bait.

* * *

Two days later the Pines family (along with a few other passengers) returned to the Mystery Shack. Wendy had received confirmation from Dipper that morning and she was expected to be at work at ten rather than nine.

The door to the Mystery Shack opened exactly at ten to allow Wendy entrance inside. Mabel sat on top of the counter kicking her legs as she rambled on about the birthday party she had already started planning.

Dipper smiled up at the girl he used the last two days to try and get over by taking Stan's advice and talking to other girls. However things hadn't gone the way he planned, especially now that he looked at the teenager and the butterflies returned. Wendy leaned her elbow on the counter and Dipper found it odd that she hadn't removed her sunglasses, but figured it was some new trend, perhaps one he could actually pull off.

With her other hand Wendy tapped the counter beckoning Dipper over.

"Hey, Pineeeees family," Wendy said. She laughed which caused Dipper to look up at her with concern.

"Wendy, are you okay?" Dipper asked.

"Just great," the teenager replied. She slipped a hand over his shoulder which caused the boy to blush. "Actually, there's something I really, really want to talk to you about."

Dipper folded his hands. "Sure thing, Wendy, just let me finish taking this inventory," he said, his hands sweating more than usual.

Wendy yanked the clipboard from the brunet's hands and tossed it on the floor behind her. "Soos can take care of that," she said. Wendy glanced behind her where Mabel watched on with wide eyes.

"Wendy, what are you...Soos!" Mabel exclaimed. She held her hands to her face. "Oh no, Dipper, we completely forgot him at the corn maze!"

Mabel ran into the exhibit room to inform her great-uncle that they had to go back and pick up the missing member of their party. Dipper went to assist when Wendy grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"She can handle it," Wendy said with a huge grin. Wendy sat down on the counter and helped Dipper up. She inched closer causing the boy's face to turn a deep red. "I actually wanted some privacy anyway."

Dipper opened his mouth, but only nonsense spluttered out. Wendy laughed higher than usual and again put her arm around the boy.

"Two days ago I talked to your Six-uh, great-uncle Ford," Wendy said. She grabbed on to the knees of her jeans and looked Dipper right in the eyes. He could barely see her wide eyes behind the lenses of the glasses. "He told me about this rift. Said it was super secret."

Dipper gasped. He bit down on his lip at the thought of Ford accidentally letting news of the rift slip out. Ford told him that he only trusted him enough to share the secret. However, having an extra person to talk about the rift lessened the difficulty of keeping it a secret.

Wendy waved her hand in a circular fashion. "He told me about it, but wouldn't let me see it," she said.

Dipper nodded. "It's for the best, it's really fragile," he said.

"Well, I was thinking, Pi-Dipper," Wendy said. She poked Dipper in the ribs causing him to stumble and nearly lose his balance. "If you can let me see it."

Dipper rubbed the back of his head. "I-I can't, Wendy," he said. He jumped down from the counter and began to pace. "Grunkle Ford made it clear that I was only allowed to look at it with him present." He tossed his arms from one side to the other. "He'll get real mad if I disobey him, and he might not let me help him anymore. And..."

Dipper looked over at the teenager who only smiled. She shrugged and replied, "It's okay." Wendy gave him the sweetest smile. "I mean if the author trusts you, it must be important." She looked out the window. "I just thought it be cool to see what super awesome secret you've been trusted to keep."

Dipper's heart nearly exploded. He took a deep breath. Rubbing his arm he said, "Well, maybe a quick peek won't hurt."

The male twin instructed Wendy to keep an eye out for any customers as he slipped into the secret laboratory. Wendy waited, kicking her legs, and her smile so wide she felt her mouth would split. Her heart pounded for the moment she'd hold the rift in her hand.

Two minutes later the secret door opened and Dipper arrived with the rift in his hand. Wendy jumped down and let out a loud squeal. She hungrily stared at the rift and held her hands out. The eagerness scared Dipper enough to back away.

"Come on, Pinetree, let me see it," Wendy cried.

Dipper gasped at the nickname that only one being would ever call him. He then blanched at the sight of Wendy's huge smile that showed off all her teeth and a portion of her gums. Her arms outstretched and she shook as she laughed a laugh that wasn't hers. Dipper snatched off the sunglasses to see bright gold had taken over her eyes with the exception of the slit pupils.

"Bill," he wheezed.


	3. Fight For The Rift

**As a warning this chapter contains violence, blood, and disturbing imagery.**

 **A special thanks to Barbacar who suggested the story and many of the main points in this chapter.**

 **Thank you to Frostbite, Berrybanana05, and Fantasy Female Freak for your reviews on the previous chapter.**

* * *

Dipper stood with his mouth hung open. It couldn't be-he had to be dreaming. The girl he had fallen in love with him laughed in his face with those horrifying yellow eyes. Drool dribbled down her chin.

Bindy knelt down and took hold of Dipper's chin. Her hands felt clammy and he half expected it to transform into wiggling worms that would work their way into his nostrils and eye sockets.

"What's wrong, Pinetree? Don't love me no more?" Bindy mocked.

Dipper narrowed his eyes and stepped away from Bindy's touch. He tightened his hold on the rift, watching as the possessed version of his crush stood, towering over him, her shadow more pronounced with the aid of the glowing eyes.

"It'll be okay, Pinetree," Bindy taunted. She held out her hand. "Give me the rift and we can pretend none of this ever happened."

"How?" Dipper gasped. "How'd you get in here?" Dipper glanced over to where one of the moonstones had been placed. "We-we sealed you out. You can't get through the barrier."

Bindy laughed. "Oh, you're so naive, kid." She grinned displaying her gums. Bindy patted the belly of his host. "As long as I have a fleshsack to use as a vessel, your ward is useless."

Bindy laughed in a higher octave that made Dipper cover his ears. The base of the rift pressed against his cheek, how much he wished Ford was in the shack. He suddenly remembered Stan and Mabel and turned to call and enlist their help.

The sound of a car starting caught Dipper's attention. He glanced out the window and gasped at the sight of Stan in the driver's seat and Mabel buckled up in the passenger chair. Dipper's last chance of help pulled out of the driveway to go retrieve Soos from one of the former attractions. They'd likely be gone until nightfall and Ford wasn't due back for another few hours.

Bindy lunged for Dipper. The preteen yelled as the strong hands of the girl he once held affection for struggled to pry the snow-globe like object from his grasp. Dipper held on despite his sweaty hands threatening to release. Closing his eyes he kicked the Bill-possessed Wendy in the stomach.

The redhead fell backwards and laughed. She hunched her back and twitched as she rose to her feet. Before Dipper could blink the possessed teen tackled him to the ground. The rift went flying much to Dipper's horror and Bill's delight.

The rift bounced off of the sleeping Waddles. The pig screeched in pain and alarm and the rift landed safely on the rug the swine recently occupied. The squealing pig dashed into the exhibit room.

Bindy snatched the decorative axe that Stan had hung up on the wall as a precaution after the zombie incident, so either he or Wendy could use incase of an emergency. Grinning the possessed teenager charged where the rift rested vulnerable to attack. Dipper groaned as he moved to his feet then gasped at the sight of Bindy rushing towards the rift with the axe over her head.

"Say goodbye to your reality!" Bindy screamed as she closed in on the rift.

With eyes shut tight, Dipper tripped the redhead. Bindy yelled out in surprise as she tumbled to the ground below. The axe clang as it smacked against the wooden floor. Dipper snatched up the rift from where it rested just under Bindy's raised arm. He took a quick glance at the teenager and let out a sigh of relief that she hadn't been wounded in the fall.

Bindy moved to her knees. The yellow eyes darted over to the gift shop door that had just slammed closed. Bill raised his puppet to her feet with the axe in hand, then dashed for the door. Wendy's face smacked against the glass, raining shards over her shoes and the gift shop porch. She lifted the axe and whacked off the knob then kicked the unlatched door open. Blood from her sliced up face dripped onto the porch. With an inhuman screech the possessed teenager ran in the direction she had seen Dipper sprint.

"Pineeeeetreeeeee!" Bindy sang. "Come out, come out wherever you are!"

Dipper heard the inhuman voice combined with a distorted version of Wendy's echo through the trees. He gulped and quickened his pace. He shoved the rift into his vest pocket and pulled out the journal. Hastily he flipped through the pages until he found the one on Bill.

The preteen yelled as he tripped over a root and landed directly on his face. Dipper sat up and rubbed at his nose to see a smear of blood over his thumb. He checked the rift to see it was still intact then pulled out the blacklight to find nothing on ending possessions. The sound of Bindy's laughter grew closer and Dipper ignored the pain in his ankle and pushed on, keeping an eye out for his great-uncle. His only hope was that he'd cross paths with Ford who either had the other journals on hand, or knew the cure by memory. Wendy wouldn't be as easy to overpower as his frail body had been.

Bindy arrived at the area where Dipper had tripped. Bindy laboriously breathed with the heavy axe in hand, her clothes tattered from the branches, and cuts already ceased bleeding, yet the grin still wide. Her hat had been snatched off her head by a stray branch, leaving a thin, red line across her forehead in its wake. The redhead glanced over at the glistening crimson puddle on the dirt ground and laughed.

The weaker hand lifted to the side of her mouth and called, "Keep running, Pinetree!" Bindy giggled then yelled, "I'm gonna find ya, kid! You're just makin' this more fun for me." Bindy tilted her head back and laughed.

With the head still bent back, Bill turned the puppet around. He completely forced her back to bend with her hands grasping the axe atop her belly and had her stomp backwards. The long red tresses dragged through the gravel and leaves.

Dipper stopped when he reached the lumberjack camp. It looked abandoned, most likely the workers had left for a lunch break. Fortunately all of the axes and chainsaws had been safely stored inside the cabin. Six boots were left behind by the workers along with a discarded jacket thrown over a vacant chair by the cabin. About three yards from the cabin sat a rusty wood chipper with a large, wide opening that pointed to the sky. A metal ladder leaned against a tree, and beside that sat a rickety wooden stool with three empty soda cans on top.

Dipper spun around when he heard twigs snap. His stomach twisted at the sight of Bindy walking backwards with those glowing yellow eyes staring back at him, and the axe still in hand. The boy swallowed and slowly retreated, not daring to avert his eyes from Bill's puppet. The brunette grunted when his back collided with an oak.

Bindy flipped backwards and landed on the ground. She moved to her feet while dragging the axe towards Dipper leaving a half-inch trail in the dirt. She lifted the weapon and swung so that the back of the wooden shoulder smacked in the open palm of her left hand. With a screech Bindy swung the axe at Dipper.

Dipper screamed and dodged; the blade sliced a chunk of bark off the tree. She swung again at Dipper who threw himself on the ground. He barely had time to roll out of the way when a low swing came his way. Using the branch of another oak Dipper pulled himself to his feet. Bindy advanced with wide, glimmering eyes, and Dipper barely jumped out of the way of the blade. Th entire beard of the axe lodged itself into the thick bark. Bindy pulled three times while Dipper watched, his feet too wobbly to move.

Realizing the weapon was stuck Bindy abandoned it and turned to the child. "Nowhere to go, Pinetree, so just hand it over," Bindy said. He kneed Dipper in the stomach up against the tree.

"N-never," Dipper replied. He shuddered at those yellow eyes that stared back from the beautiful face of the girl he had fallen in love with. His heart ached. "How-how did you get control of Wendy. She's-she's not stupid, or weak..." _like me_ , he added in his head.

"Oh, oh, that's a funny story, Pinetree," Bindy said with a laugh. "You're gonna love it."

"You tricked her," Dipper spat. "You had to."

"Hmm, not exactly," Bindy replied. She pointed to the side of her head. "This stupid fleshbag was too easy."

Dipper growled. "Don't you dare call her that!"

Bindy laughed. "What exactly are you gonna do, kid?"

"I-uh-um-I..." Dipper stammered.

"You uh-you-um-you what?" Bindy taunted. The puppet's thumb and index finger dug into either of Dipper's cheeks. "All it took was to mention her mother an she fell apart like an old corpse." Bindy's grin widened. "And here you are risking your life and everything else to save this selfish fleshsack who doesn't love you back and never will." He smacked Dipper in the nose with the back of his hand. "You're just a nuisance to her."

"That-that's not true," Dipper snapped.

"Tsk, tsk, boy, who's the one inside her head right now?" Bindy asked with a laugh.

From the Mindscape Wendy watched her body move against her will. Her hand slapped her dear friend across the face and assaulted his ears with lies. While true she didn't love him the way he wanted, it pained her to see that demon torment a close friend with a false exaggeration.

Despite how she tried, she couldn't reach the boy on a different plane from herself. Wendy cursed herself for listening to the triangle's sweet lies even after she had been warned by Ford just two days prior.

 _"He had a point, Red," Bill said with his back to her. His single eye glanced over in her direction where he witnessed the shock on her face. "You are selfish."_

 _When she finally found her voice Wendy replied, "I told you to leave me alone."_

 _Bill ignored her and continued, "Having to work himself to exhaustion just to come home and see what a worthless human being his daughter is." Bill connected his arms behind his back. "Oh, he does take time off to spend with the lot of you, but knows in the end it won't matter. He's failed as a father."_

 _"Shut up!" Wendy shouted._

 _Bill shrugged. "I can help ya, girl, if you just give me a chance."_

 _The triangle floated in circles around her. She shuddered when a thin black arm draped over her shoulder. He then snapped his fingers in front of her face which created a glowing white light. Wendy shielded her eyes. When she lowered her arm she gasped at the floating figure of her mother the way she remembered her lying in her coffin four years ago._

 _Wendy broke free from Bill and rushed over to the woman. She lifted her right arm and immediately dropped it at the frigid touch. No decay, yet no heartbeat, she appeared to be in a peaceful sleep as if the truck had never collided into the driver's seat._

 _"Poor, poor, Ice Girl," Bill said with mock sorrow. He apparated a tissue and dabbed at the corner of his eye. He blew his invisible nose then let the tissue vanish. "You all miss her."_

 _"Shut up," Wendy hissed._

 _Bill snapped his fingers and the figment of Evelyn's body rotted before Wendy's eyes. The teenager clamped a hand over her mouth as the moldy green skin curled until only a skeleton was left. Gradually the bones crumpled to dust. Bill held out his hand and his eye transformed into a mouth in which he blew a small amount of air that rid the empty space of all that remained of Evelyn._

 _"How much would your father give to spend one more minute with her?" Bill said. "Or those brothers of yours."_

 _Wendy gritted her teeth the more the dream demon spoke of her family. She jumped when she felt his hands clamp down on her shoulder, surprised that tiny arms contained more strength than she ever imagined._

 _"Don't you see what an opportunity this is?" Bill asked. "I'm giving you the chance to speak with her one last time." He moved in front of Wendy. The two stared at each other for an unknown amount of time. Bill shrugged and turned his back on the redhead. "Very well, I've wasted enough of my time." He crossed his arms. "There are plenty others who'll jump for this chance."_

 _He snapped his fingers to reveal a photograph of Evelyn her father kept in his room. The bottom two edges burst into flames. Wendy gasped as the paper smoldered, damaging the smiling face of the person who had kept her family together._

 _"Wait!" Wendy yelled._

 _Bill spun around. Arms still crossed he waited for her to speak her next words._

 _"What-what do you want in return?" Wendy asked._

 _Bill laughed. "Nothing much, Red, just a paperweight from your boss' shack."_

 _Wendy shuddered at the thought of Bill wanting something from the Mystery Shack. Ford's warning screamed in her brain. What little remained of the photograph stared back at her._

 _"I think a little knickknack is worth the chance to talk to your mother again," said Bill._

 _Wendy shut her eyes. She recalled her father's face when she called out his drinking problem. It wasn't his fault-he faded away once Evelyn left him. He was left to tend to four little ones all on his own. He relied on her to step us as the woman of the house at the age of eleven. It wasn't fair: not to her, not to her father, and not to her younger brothers._

 _All he wanted was some stupid item from Stan's joint home and business. Deep down she knew it was more than that, but hope begged her not to think about the consequences. It's what she had done for most of her teenage years anyway._

 _"Tick tock," Bill said as his eye took the form of a clock. His hand outstretched with a blue flame surrounded._

 _Wendy shut her eyes and clamped her hand around his. She gasped in surprise when she felt no pain and stared down at her hand to see it not burning. The flames expanded to her own arm and then at once vanished. Neither one said anything for nearly a minute._

 _"Well, where is she?" Wendy said, breaking the silence._

 _"You'll get your reward..." Bill said. His eye enlarged as he yanked Wendy from her body. The girl gasped as she saw her own body stand up without her. She then noticed that she had taken on the form of a ghost. The wide yellow eyes stared up at her. "Just as soon as I get mine."_

Bill let Wendy's own voice pass through her vocal chords. "Come on, man, just hand it over," Bindy said, sounding her best like the real Wendy.

Dipper's stomach jumped. He chanted to himself that the person before him wasn't his friend.

"Please?" Bindy asked with a sweet smile.

Dipper's hand trembled as he subconsciously reached for the rift safely hidden in his vest. He happened to glance up and the the enlarged grin reminded him she wasn't Wendy.

"No!" Dipper yelled. "No!" He pushed Bindy from him. His legs suddenly worked and he ran off further into the forest where he hoped to locate Ford.

"Alright, Pinetree, you give me no choice!" Bill screeched. Dipper stopped and turned to see Bindy's eyes flash red for a few seconds before returning to the default yellow. "I have other ways to get what I want."

Dipper watched as Bindy hobbled over to the wood chipper. The puppet turned the key, pressed the button, and the machine came to life. Bindy snatched the stool, the soda cans toppled over in the leaves. Dipper screamed for Bill to stop as the stool was placed next to the machine. Bindy climbed atop the wooden stool and placed her hands along the feed tray of the wood chipper.

"Don't!" Dipper screamed. "Please, Bill, don't!"

Bindy stared back at the preteen. "That's entirely up to you," she said with a giggle. The dream demon straddled his puppet's legs atop the wide opening of the grinding machine.

Dipper cringed as Bindy turned one hundred eighty atop the opening of the wood chipper. Again the boots stood firmly over the ledges of the feed tray. The vibrations of the machine tickled her. Long red locks blew against her face in the soft wind.

"Give me the rift, or I'll throw her in," Bindy threatened.

Dipper's eyes lined with tears. "Don't," he begged. "Please don't."

Bindy tapped her chin. "Better yet," she said with a laugh. "I'll release her just as I jump so she'll feel the full effect." Bindy laughed then added, "What a shame I won't get to feel that sweet, sweet pain."

A tear trickled down Dipper's flushed cheek. "Don't," he croaked.

Bindy leaned forward and extended her hand. "Then hand it over."

"Fine! Take it!" Dipper yelled. He reached into his vest and shakily grabbed the globe. His hand trembled as it passed through the fabric. Tears fell down his face as he knew he doomed the world as soon as the object passed into the dream demon's hand. Dipper nearly dropped the rift as he sobbed while extending his arm.

"That's a good boy," Bindy said.

"Dipper, stop!" a familiar voice called just as the rift nearly passed into Bill's hand.

Both turned to see one of the discarded leather boots floating upside down. Dipper could almost see the ghost-like figure's arm inside controlling it.

"Dipper, don't you dare give it to him!" Wendy yelled.

"Stay out of it, Ice Bag," Bindy snapped.

"Wendy, I don't have a choice," Dipper cried.

"It's my fault," Wendy retorted. "I'm the one who made the deal."

Dipper stared speechless. The very thing he feared confirmed.

"Look, I'm not worth the world ending," Wendy said. She smiled and said, "But I'm flattered you think so."

Dipper clutched the rift to his chest. There was no way he could knock Bill off the wood chipper without the high risk of Wendy's body falling into the feed tray. What more, there was no chance that Bill would voluntarily abandon his threat. The boy hated himself for trusting her in the first place. If only Stan or Ford were there beside him.

"You're just wasting time, kid," said Bindy.

"Don't make the same mistake I did," Wendy called.

"I love you, Wendy," Dipper said and his eyes blurred with tears. "I always did."

Through the cloud of tears he swore he saw the transparent figure of Wendy holding the boot. She smiled and nodded before vanishing from sight.

Dipper walked away with the rift, tears falling freely down his face.

Bindy shrugged and said, "Oh well, what a shame." Her voice filled with enthusiasm as she cried, "Well, it's time to hold up my end of the bargain. Let's shatter the ice."

From behind Dipper heard Bill's laughter as he plunged into the hole. The laughter was immediately replaced with agonizing screams that belonged to the real Wendy. Dipper fell to his knees with his hands clamped over his ears. He leaned in the grass and heavily sobbed if just to cancel out the noise of grinding meat.

He pressed on, not daring to look behind him. The lumberjacks would return back from work to find the horrors that he himself could never explain.

Dipper stopped when he noticed a familiar item just ahead. He ran towards the bit of brown among the green grass and threw himself on his knees. Dipper grasped the trapper hat and brought it to his face. The shock finally wore off and the boy wept into the wool.

His fingers gripped at the hat. In that moment Dipper vowed that one day Bill would pay.

* * *

 **There is going to be one more chapter. It will be more of an after the fact.**

 **Barbacar, I hope you liked the chapter. And I hope all of you like the story.**


	4. Afterwards

**Here it is the final chapter. I know it's been a while since my last update, but at last, the wait is over. This chapter is rather long, but there is a lot that needs to be covered. This chapter is basically everyone dealing with Wendy's death, some decisions that are made, and some much needed discussion.**

 **I'll go ahead and give a warning that this chapter is sad, but there is also some comforting here as well.**

 **Thank you to Female Fantasy Freak, BerryBanana05, disneyanimationfan, Guest, a very angry ravage, and Frostbite for your reviews on chapter three.**

 **Guest: I just have the headcanon that Bill already knows which people represent which spot in the zodiac. This is due to the fact that the nicknames he uses to refer to Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Ford match their symbol. This is just pure speculation on my part.**

* * *

The door to the Mystery Shack swung open. Mabel was the first to enter, practically skipping into her second home with Stan and Soos in tow. Soos finished a story on how he survived the night by eating the corn and using the shucks as a blanket.

After picking up their lost member Stan had to high tail it out of the parking lot before the owner caught up to him with a baseball bat in hand. Losing the headlights to the RV was one thing, but his only good car was another. All he needed was for one of the few competent cops in town to stop him on account of missing headlights, what a most ridiculous reason for his arrest warrants to show up on the computer and be hauled off to jail.

It wasn't until they were halfway to the corn maze that they realized Dipper was not in the car with them. It was at that point Stan decided it might be a while before they go on another road trip.

A few ears of corn poked out from Soos' pockets, leftover from that morning's breakfast incase he hadn't found the end of the maze by lunchtime. Stan shouted and clapped the younger man on the back, ordering him to put the vegetable in a boiling pot for that night's dinner. With a smile Soos darted into the kitchen to fulfill his boss' request while Mabel headed for the attic to tell her brother about the day's events.

Dipper never heard the footsteps pounding up the rickety stairs, nor did he notice when Mabel threw open the door. He winced at her loud, cheery voice greeting him as normal.

The female twin's excitement died down when she noticed her brother coiled into a ball holding something against his chest. At first she thought it was the journal and he had fallen asleep cradling it like it was the most precious item in the world, despite having found the author in addition to discovering he was a relative. As she peered closer she noticed her brother's eyelashes flutter.

The girl knelt down in front of Dipper only for him not to return her gaze. She then peeked closer to see the object in his hands was not his beloved book, but a hat she instantly recognized. His hands clutched tightly around the trapper hat as if he feared he'd suffocate were it snatched away.

"Okay, Bro-Bro, now you're just being creepy," Mabel teased. Her laughter was short-lived when she didn't hear her brother laugh along or complain about her teasing.

First she heard the whimpers. Mabel looked down to see Dipper shaking.

"Dipper?" Mabel asked.

"Wendy..." he said with a sob. "She's...she's...she's..."

"Dipper, what's wrong?" Mabel asked, now certain whatever happened with Wendy had nothing to do with her brother's silly crush on her.

"Bill," Dipper forced out. "He...he took her," he said with another heavy sob.

"What? What do you mean?" Mabel asked, her heart already racing.

"I tried," Dipper wailed. He coiled further into himself. "I tried. He took her."

"Dipper, you're not making sense," Mabel said louder than she intended.

His breathing became more unsteady until he was hyperventilating.

"Dipper," Mabel said and shook him which only made his condition worsen. "Dipper!" she cried again.

The boy stared wide-eyed with his arms wrapped protectively around the hat. He gasped for air only to require that much more two seconds later.

The girl ran to the edge of the bedroom. "Grunkle Stan!" she yelled. Mabel glanced over her shoulder and watched her brother take in air too quickly. "Grunkle Stan!" she called again.

Her cries for help were answered by the sound of three sets of footsteps. Stan was the first to enter followed by Soos and Ford. Mabel pointed to Dipper and Stan rushed over to his side. He scooped the boy up in his arms as he sat down on the bed then placed Dipper in his lap. He rubbed the boy's back while Ford knelt down in front of them instructing his nephew on how to breathe.

"Mabel, sweetie, what happened?" Stan asked.

"Dipper...he," Mabel said.

"Hey, that's Wendy's," Soos said when he noticed the hat in Dipper's hold.

Dipper gasped at the mention of her name.

"He took her!" Dipper screamed. "Bill took her!"

Ford's eyes narrowed. He grabbed Dipper by the arms and shook him.

"He took who?" Ford demanded.

"Stop it, Poindexter, you're gonna make it worse!" Stan snapped and yanked Dipper out of his brother's grasp.

"Wendy! I couldn't save her!" the boy cried. Tears fell down his face. Deep breaths turned into sobs. He wiped at his eyes not releasing the hat.

"Dipper, where's Wendy?" Ford asked, too afraid he'd startle the boy if he grabbed his arm again.

Dipper looked into Ford's eyes and two more tears leaked down his face.

"She's gone," he said.

Nothing more needed to be said. Mabel shook her head in disbelief. Dipper's hand lost grip on the hat and it fell to the floor.

* * *

Three days later the closed-casket service was held. Almost everyone from town showed up and offered their condolences and invitations to help, although they all wondered how. What more they feared for what little remained of Dan's sanity. First his wife and now his daughter.

The coffin was lowered in a plot a little ways down from her mother. Dan struggled to stand having to relive that moment a second time. David tried his best to keep his father standing and his tears at bay. Wesley and Jacob wailed.

From behind and to the right the Corduroys heard a sob. Manly Dan looked to see the boy his daughter had become close with throughout the summer stare with a pale face at the lowering coffin. His twin sister held his hand, the boy tightened his grip, afraid he would lose it if she were to let him free.

"Daddy, please wake Wendy up," Wesley cried. He tugged on the pants leg of his father's old fashioned suit. "When's she gonna to wake up?" David and Jacob pulled their younger brother away which only made him yell louder. "When's she gonna wake up?"

At that moment Dipper broke down into tears. Mabel and Stan tried to comfort him while he wept on his knees. He muttered apologies in between sobs that went unnoticed to everyone save his two family members. Mabel sat down beside him and patted his back.

Manly Dan only stared at the now filled six foot deep plot. Never again would he see the girl who looked so much like her mother. His sons had lost their lifelong friend and role model. He couldn't cry because he knew deep in his heart he was the reason she had jumped headfirst into the wood chipper.

Hours later he sat in the dining room of the small cabin. Wesley had been put to bed and David busied himself with helping Jacob with his nightly routine. Mayor Cutebiker stopped by to drop off a home-cooked meal for the family and made sure Manly Dan and his sons didn't need anything. After a half hour consisting of mostly silence the mayor took his leave ensuring his friend to call for any reason.

Left alone in the dining room Manly Dan stood from the table, his large body knocking down the wooden chair. He poured himself a tall glass of whiskey and brought it to his lips. He took a long gulp then stared into the liquid. He crushed the glass in his hand at the sight of his own reflection. Alcohol soaked glass shards rained on the floor. He hissed as the whiskey soaked in his freshly cut palm.

Not requiring disinfectant he pulled two pieces of glass from his skin then ran the bleeding hand under the faucet. He dried the dampness with a dishcloth and secured a bandage of gauze and tape to the wound. Come morning the scars would only serve as a reminder of his failing as a father.

Green eyes glanced up at the framed photograph by the sink. The two smiling angels had been yanked from him in the cursed month of August. Almost four years apart exactly.

"I was too hard on you," Manly Dan said as three of his massive fingers ran over the frame, lightly smudging the glass just over the face of his daughter. "My little Wendy. I never thought how hard this was for you."

 _When the lumberjacks had returned from their lunch break they found the bloody mess on their working grounds. Dover was the one to look through the feeding tray and saw the mangled remains of his co-worker's daughter. Manly Dan remembered how frantically Dover called him over. A few of the other lumberjacks followed, but Manly Dan was the only one Dover allowed to look inside._

 _The moment he saw all that was left over of his firstborn he shrieked. He tore the machine apart in a vain hope that she barely clung to life. Several of his colleagues had tried to pull him away, but were no match for his strength and determination of a hopeless goal. Manly Dan cradled Wendy's remains shushing the lifeless form as one would a fussing others could only watch horrified as their friend spoke gently to the bloody corpse._

His hands grasped at the edges of the sink. He stared down at the drain wishing he had woken Wendy instead of speaking that apology in the darkness. Instead of constantly throwing complaints and criticism had he offered her a word of gratitude for having to step into the shoes of a mother for her younger brothers. If he had only told her he loved her before going out that morning.

The investigation lasted a few hours in which the only fingerprints they found on Wendy and the machine were Wendy's herself. The coroner concluded her death to be suicide. No longer having another to blame for the slaughtering of his daughter, a void filled Dan's heart.

"I'm sorry I'm not a better dad," Manly Dan whispered. "I made you do...this."

He looked up when he sensed someone else in the room. Standing by the table were his two oldest sons dressed in pajamas, yet unable to find sleep.

"You boys should be in bed," Dan groaned.

"We can't," Jacob replied.

David moved forward. "Dad, we miss her too."

"I know," Manly Dan responded. He lowered his head. "I'm sorry."

"It ain't your fault, Dad," David said.

"You might not think it, but it is," Dan replied. He picked the chair up off the floor and sat down.

The muscular man looked up when he felt weight pressed against his side. On the left David embraced him and Jacob from the right. At that moment Dan finally stopped holding onto his feelings and tears dripped down his face. It didn't take long for the boys to follow. Dan wrapped his arms around his sons and pulled them into his lap. The three shared a tearful, long overdue hug.

It had been hard without Evelyn and would be even worse without Wendy. However, on his daughter's memory he made a vow to himself and the boys that he wouldn't ease this pain with alcohol. He promised himself he would cherish his loved ones with what time he had left as he should had done with Wendy.

* * *

Back at the Mystery Shack Dipper and Mabel sat in the living room recliner while Soos cleaned up the evening meal. Not much had been consumed, but Mabel at least managed to convince her brother to consume three bites of food.

Stan and Ford walked into the living room, making a silent truce to put aside their differences in lieu of the recent tragedy. Three nights ago after recovering from his panic attack, Dipper let Ford know that Bill possessed Wendy to gain access to the shack and to trick him into giving her the rift. Then when things didn't go Bill's way he threw Wendy into the wood chipper. Dipper gave no more details and Ford didn't ask. He did however find a more secure location to hide the rift.

Now Dipper sat barely moving or talking despite Ford, Stan, and Mabel's attempts at conversation. For the most part he stared, or slept, or cried. Mabel asked her grunkles if they would get him counseling to which the brothers both declined out of fear of what would happen should anyone else learn of Bill. Most of all they hoped Dipper would eventually open up to one of them.

"How you kids doin'?" Stan asked.

Mabel glanced up at her great-uncle with a pained look that expressed it all. Dipper didn't move.

"Dipper?" Ford asked.

The male twin still sat silent, staring straight ahead. He remembered how the Wendy's siblings cried for her. Tambry clung to Robbie, both distraught while the others in their social circle felt it was a bad dream that they begged to be woken from.

"It's my fault," Dipper finally said. The three looked down at him. He shifted then continued, "Bill. He-he told me what he was going to do to her and I almost did it." He shook. "I-I almost-I almost gave him the rift."

Ford sighed while Mabel and Stan looked at each other both equally confused. Soos walked into the room also clueless to the rift they spoke of.

Dipper continued, "Wendy got to me before I did. She-she..." He took a deep breath. The memory of her screams surfaced in his brain each time he thought about that day. "She told me..." His throat filled with thick saliva and his voice cracked. "She told me to let him kill her." He wiped away falling tears. Dipper's eyes met with Ford's. "You hate me?"

Ford shook his head. "I never could," he said and patted his nephew's head.

"I took the rift even though you told me not to," Dipper retorted.

"Seriously, what is this rift?" Stan asked.

Ford instantly agreed that Dipper's mistake rested in the fact that he stole the rift from the lab. The author cursed himself for not leaving it in a more secure area. However, playing the blame game would only worsen the situation.

Ford put a hand on Dipper's shoulder. The boy wept at seeing a look of sympathy on his relative's face instead of resentment which he had expected and in all honesty deserved.

"It was a difficult choice, but Wendy is wise," Ford said. "She's a true hero."

Ford looked up just in time to receive a blow to his face. Mabel and Soos both cried out in alarm, and Stan restrained from slugging him a second time.

"You got no right sayin' anything!" Stan growled, pointing a finger at his brother. "I don't know what this rift is, but I'm sure you're partially to blame for why Wendy died."

"Mr. Pines, this isn't helping," said Soos.

"No, he is correct," Ford replied rubbing his throbbing cheek. He sighed and clamped his hands together behind his back. "I probably should've told you all about this sooner, but I didn't know who to trust. It's a mistake I'm not proud of."

"Why didn't you trust us?" Mabel asked.

Ford sighed. "To keep what happened from happening," he explained. "Bill is dangerous."

"We know that," Soos replied.

"Knowing doesn't matter," Ford retorted. "He's taken others who knew his true nature. Dipper, Wendy, and even myself." Ford put his hand on Mabel's shoulder. "I didn't want what happened to Wendy to happen to you."

Mabel managed a smile despite a part of her wondering if her new great-uncle still found her untrustworthy.

"I've told you before, Sixer, we're your family," Stan said.

Ford nodded. "I realize that now," he said. "Come, I might as well let you all know what it is that Bill is after." He led them to the gift shop. "I only hope that this new insight will protect you further against his trickery."

Ford pressed the code into the vending machine and the door opened. Dipper watched from the back, not feeling up to a trip to the basement. He announced to the others he was heading off to bed. Mabel went to follow, but Stan stopped her and shook his head. The female twin lowered her face and prayed that Dipper would find a way to forgive himself.

The steps to the attic creaked as Dipper made his way to the bedroom. He kicked off his shoes at the doorway then jumped on the bed, burying his face in the pillow. He turned onto his side facing Mabel's bed wishing he had gone with his gut instinct and not stolen the rift from Ford's lab.

A bright blue light caught Dipper's attention and he sat up. Floating before him was the transparent figure of Wendy herself. Dipper clamped a hand over his mouth as he looked over her body covered with various cuts and gashes. Her left arm was severely mangled. The hair on that side of her looked as though it had been ripped off.

"Wendy...how are you?" Dipper asked in a hoarse voice.

"I'm a ghost, dude," Wendy replied.

Dipper flinched as Wendy sat down beside him on the bed. While he had been in her room plenty of times it was the first she had been upstairs in theirs, let alone his side.

"Are you really here?" Dipper asked.

"I think so, or this is a really dull afterlife," Wendy said with a smirk.

"Oh, Wendy, I'm so sorry," Dipper confessed. "This whole thing happened because I was stupid." He held his head in his hands. "I don't know what made me think it was a good idea to steal the rift." He placed his palms on his knees, hunched over, and stared down at the floor. "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to save you."

"It's cool, man," Wendy said, shifting her weight on the left side. "I was good as dead the moment I shook that triangle's hand."

"Why'd you do it?" Dipper asked.

Wendy sighed. "It was stupid, I mean really stupid," she admitted. The girl smiled in the distance and for a moment Dipper felt she was still alive. "You know my mom died four years ago this day."

Dipper was taken aback. "Oh man, I-I didn't."

"I was really missing her more than usual," Wendy explained. "After a bad fight with my dad I..." she scoffed then looked over at the twelve-year-old. "He promised me I could see her again." She chuckled then added, "He kept his end of the deal. Now I can see her all the time."

"Wendy, I'm so sorry," Dipper said. He folded his hands in his lap. "I wish-I wish I knew. Then-then maybe I could've helped you." He gripped at his arms. "I don't know why I turned my back on you when he made his threat."

"Hey, I told you to," Wendy said.

Dipper felt an immense cold on his shoulder and looked up to see the translucent hand touching him.

"I was done for, but that was a given," Wendy said with a shrug. Despite the severe damage to her body she didn't appear to be in any pain. "But you saved the world, man." She flicked the bill of his hat and said with a laugh, "You're a real hero, Dipper."

Dipper tore his eyes away from the specter. "I didn't save the one person I wanted to," he lamented.

"Actually you kinda did," Wendy replied. Again Dipper looked over at her. The mutilated face still looked beautiful when she smiled. "You freed me from being that creep's hand puppet."

Dipper nodded.

"If anything I should apologize to you," Wendy said. "For putting you in place to make that decision." She playfully punched him in the arm. "I'm just happy you listened to me."

"It was the worst decision I ever had to make," Dipper confessed.

He felt fatigue wash over him and he yawned despite trying his best to cover it. Wendy laughed and suggested he rest to which Dipper immediately declined.

"I don't want you to go," he said.

"Tell you what, after you fall asleep I'll stay with you 'til you wake," Wendy offered.

Dipper threw back the covers and nestled himself onto the mattress. As she had done with her brothers plenty of times before, Wendy pulled the comforter atop of Dipper and tucked him in. She gently stroked his hair then planted a kiss on his cheek that caused him to shiver.

 _When Dipper opened his eyes he found himself on the roof of the Mystery Shack. The boy wondered if he had accidentally fallen asleep outside when he remembered he was asleep. There sitting on the ledge of the shack was none other than Wendy Corduroy._

 _All visible signs of her recent gruesome death had been erased and Dipper stared upon the girl who looked no different from usual save the simple white dress she donned. Her hair hung loose and she stared out over the forest._

 _"I worried I wouldn't catch you in time," Wendy said as Dipper sat criss-cross next to her. "I went to say goodbye to my dad first." She pulled her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them. "I had to convince him what happened wasn't his fault. He thinks a stupid comment he made about having to support four kids made me jump into wood chipper."_

 _"What did you tell him?" he asked, knowing good and well the true story about making a deal with a dream demon to serve as his living puppet in exchange for seeing her dead mother, and then the same demon threw her away when he didn't get what he wanted wouldn't fly._

 _The redhead shrugged. "Just that I couldn't explain why at the time," she said. "I told him if he knew the reason he'd be proud, and someday he'd know the truth. Just not today."_

 _"How'd he take it?" the brunet asked._

 _"It's not what he wanted to hear, but he didn't ask anymore," Wendy answered._

 _Wendy laid down on her back with her arms folded up under her head. Dipper mirrored her action which led to a long moment of silence as the two stared up at the stars. Wendy giggled when she looked upon the big dipper then turned her head to look upon the boy who had received his nickname based on that constellation._

 _"Wendy," Dipper finally said, breaking the silence. "Besides Mabel you're my first real friend," he admitted. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you."_

 _"You're a good guy, Dipper, you'll make plenty of friends," Wendy assured him._

 _"It's going to be hard," he said. Both of them were aware that Dipper wasn't referring to making friends._

 _Wendy sat up. "Hey, I'll always be here for you," she said and tapped Dipper over his heart. "When you feel alone just think of me."_

 _Dipper managed a smile even though its flavor was bittersweet._

 _The two of them sat on the rooftop spending their last moments together. They both knew that when Dipper awoke Wendy would be forced to move on to the afterlife. She had said her goodbyes and had nothing left to keep her on that side any longer._

 _The moment they dreaded grew near. The sunrise crept over the forest bathing them both in a bright light. Wendy stood and Dipper sat up trying his best not to cry._

 _"Wendy," a feminine voice called a little ways away. Both looked to see a woman who Wendy resembled standing in the light with her hands outstretched. Wendy smiled. How foolish she had been to exchange her life for this moment, but there was no room for regrets; she was heading for a better, peaceful place where demons couldn't access._

 _Dipper moved to his feet. Wendy turned and pulled the boy in for a tight embrace. No longer could Dipper keep his tears inside. They freely fell down his face as he grasped at her, too frightened to let her go, for in the morning she would only be a memory._

 _"I love you, Wendy," Dipper whispered. He sniffed then added. "I'll miss you."_

 _"Don't be that way, man, we'll see each other someday," she said. She pushed back his bangs and added, "But I don't want that to be for a very, very, very, very long time."_

 _Dipper nodded. Despite the leakage from his eyes he smiled._

 _Wendy headed towards her mother's invitation. She suddenly stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and Dipper," she said. "Stay away from wood chippers. They really, really hurt."_

 _Dipper's smile grew. He would definitely miss her humor._

 _Wendy accepted her mother's hand. The two greeted each other with smiles and a four year overdue hug. When they parted both waved at Dipper then vanished in the light._

Dipper's eyelashes fluttered as he woke. He sat up and stretched as the sunbeams penetrated through the triangular attic window. Over to his left Mabel slept soundly. The brunet wrapped his arms around himself more than certain that hadn't been any ordinary dream. For the first time since her death he found a reason to smile outside his sleep.

Dipper threw the covers from his legs and let his feet dangle over the bed. On the window sill he spied the late Wendy's trapper hat and snatched it up.

Holding the hat close to him Dipper made a vow to keep the rift safe for both the sake of humanity and to honor his friend's memory. Bill may have stolen Wendy from him, but that would be his only victory.


End file.
